Top players now play more competitive cricket in a calendar year than at any point in the sport's history, across formats and leagues that did not exist a decade ago.

The effect shows up quietly: more niggling injuries, more rotation, and occasionally a below-par performance in a match that should matter more than it seems to. Fans notice, even if boards are slow to.

Boards protect broadcast windows fiercely because the money is visible. Protecting player workload is harder to price, but the cost of not doing it is starting to show on the field.